Brand Names are they valuable?

Brands and brand names are used every day to help us as individuals make decisions about what products and services we are going to buy. Branding has become big business and brand names can help your business or service to stand out from the crowd!

In todays business world organisations need to understand Branding and Brand identity. I am convinced that up and down the country and even the world, HR and Training professionals are discussing their business Brand and what it means to loyal Customers.

Brand names and what they mean to consumers can sometimes be under estimated by Small Medium Enterprises. A brand name has to distinguish your business offering to consumers within a particular industry or sector by not using or including the service or location you operate in. A brand name has to be individual and unique to the service you provide.

What role does HR and Training play in the use of Brand Names?

To compete with increasing competition a brand name is essential to highlight your business and services to stand out from the crowd. HR and Training professionals have a key role in ensuring a company brand is fully understood and its reputation is protected by all employees who work for an organisation. HR and Training departments have to educate employees to understand what is behind a brand and protect misuse of company Trade Marks and Logos.

Brand names are they valuable?

A brand name for your Small Medium Enterprise is very valuable and can protect your businesses Intellectual Property Rights. Registering your business at Companies House does not protect your IPO or brand name.

How do I choose a brand name?

Selecting a brand name needs to take time. Advice should be sought from a professional Marketing consultant who can help you with clear suggestions of what makes a good brand name in their opinion. Any brand names you choose must not be similar in any way to registered brand names that are registered Trade Marks. If you have a brand name similar to a registered Trade Mark you could face legal action and be forced to remove the business name you are trading under.

I have an excellent name for my business what should I do?

Once you have come up with a suitable Brand name that could be possibly registered as a Trade Mark, try not to advertise it to the world as your competitors may get to register it as a Trade Mark before you do!

I need advice who can I ask?

Get advice from the Intellectual Property Office (ipo.gov.uk) or find a Trade Mark Solicitor who can check the name to see if it can be registered as a Trade mark.

Your Chamber of Commerce can also help you!